The imponderables – Duterte and Binay

“To be or not to be: that is the question:Whether ‘tis nobler in the mind to sufferThe slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,Or take arms against a sea of troublesAnd by opposing, end them?”– Hamlet by William Shakespeare

When I was detained for one year six months and eleven days, in Ipil Rehabilitation Center (IRC), one of the Marcos political prisons in Fort Bonifacio during martial law, my client and friend, Secretary Antonio “Tony” Raquiza related this story to me while appealing for my release with President Ferdinand E. Marcos (FM). The conversation went this way:

Raquiza: You know, Mr. President, it is about time you release Atty. Homobono Adaza. He has been there for more than a year. After all, you have already released those who attempted to assassinate you, like Eddie Figueras.

Marcos: Tony, I released the likes of Figueras because they are known factors, therefore they are no longer dangerous. But in the case of your friend, he is an imponderable factor that makes him dangerous. So we should keep him there.

This conversation reminds me of the current scramble for the presidency of the Republic. Being publicly pushed into the presidential office by their camp followers, the imponderable factors go by the names of Mayor Rodrigo Duterte of Davao City and Vice-President Jejomar “Jojo” Binay.

Why are Duterte and Binay the imponderable factors in the present political situation? This is due to the fact that Duterte preaches unthinkable and inhuman messages for the people of this country and he has significant following and Binay because he might just become President of this Republic. So what if Binay becomes President and Duterte keeps on preaching his messages which have criminal and lawless overtones? If they continue to pursue their objectives, then they are imponderable and, therefore, dangerous. Their body language and their statements make them dangerous because one cannot with certainty predict how they will conduct themselves, if Duterte arouses the people to frenzy by adopting his messages and decides to make a run for the presidency, or if Binay gets to be President, as the following analysis will show.

Duterte the reluctant candidate
Duterte has been traveling throughout the country in a private jet – ostensibly campaigning for the presidency with the federal system as his rationale for running with his capacity to kill criminals, including grafters and the corrupt. But when pressed by media whether he is running for the presidency, his most telling reply is that he is not because he is too old for the presidency and the demands of the national campaign. He is quick to add his additional reasons that his family objects to his running and he does not have the funds to sustain a costly national campaign.

And now, subjected to intense pressure by his admirers, he sheepishly comes out with a reply to give him a little more time to hear the voice of God. He says that if he decides to run for the presidency, it could only be due to the will of God.

But depending on his audience, he says many contradictory things.

A few weeks ago, he was in Bonbon, Catarman, Camiguin. In a well applauded speech, he was quoted to have said that he has FIFTEEN BILLION PESOS worth of gold in his hands and he is trying to convert it into cash to fund his campaign. If he has this kind of wealth, then he is not telling the truth to media that he does not have the funds to finance his national campaign? Or, was he just pulling the legs of his audience in Camiguin?

As he flew to Camiguin in a private jet, he must have enough money to move around. So money is not really the problem. So what is his real reason for this advance and retreat movement? To keep his media coverage continuous; to make himself sound mysterious; to keep his supporters work some more? But none of the answers to these questions can explain the Duterte indecision.

The projection that Duterte makes in this stance is indecisiveness. Who needs an indecisive leader; this country has had enough of them. Another one makes the Filipino looks stupid. Who among us Filipinos wants to be branded stupid unless one really is?

There is nothing wrong by consulting family. But to be guided by a family decision renders one unfit for national leadership. A leader who can make a difference in this country is he who makes God and country as his priorities and everything else takes second fiddle – family included.

The lawyer and revolutionary
And the voice of God, that is not difficult for Duterte to hear. He has Quiboloy, the charismatic religious cult leader in Davao City who believes that he is the son of God and adores Duterte. So there it is. God’s voice is just a phone call away.

Duterte is also a lawyer and was a prosecutor once. He is the mayor of Davao City. In all of these capacities, he took his oath to uphold the law and the Constitution. But he publicly declares that he does not believe in due process, thus he eliminates criminals without due process and boasts about the peace that reigns in Davao City – the peace of the grave not the peace of the brave.

In cleaning Davao City of lawless elements he does not kill the criminals himself. He has to have a death squad to do the dirty job which he keeps denying that it exists. What does he think of the people – stupid? Since he is a lawyer, I suppose he understands this legal maxim – evidence to be believed must not only come from the mouth of a credible witness but must be credible by itself. As the cliché goes, Duterte should tell that to the American marines of old, not the present ones.

So you have a lawyer, prosecutor, mayor who does not believe in the Constitution since due process is the heart of the Constitution. Who does he think of himself – the God in his kingdom? Well, the people of this country are not Davaoenos, the creatures in the Duterte zoo. He cannot make this country his kingdom; the country is too civilized for the Dutertes of the world.

Then, in a prophetic mode, Duterte says he will declare a revolutionary government if he gets elected president. It has many ifs – if he runs for president; if he gets elected; if he does not change his mind if he gets elected. First, I don’t believe that he can get elected president. Second, I don’t believe that any traditional politician will consider supporting him as he intends to kill, according to him, the grafters and the corrupt constituting the overwhelming majority in this country. Third, assuming he gets elected, he will have the Supreme Court, Congress, and the oligarchs and other vested interests which are not with him to contend with. So where will he find himself? Verily, he will likely end up in the kangkong plantation.

Now, General Jovito Palparan says that Duterte is an NPA-CPP coddler. In the newspapers, Duterte confirms it on the claim that the rebels are different from the criminals who get terminated in his city. But the NPA members are charged with violation of the Anti-Subversion Law and rebellion. These charges are criminal offenses. As a coddler, on his own admission, the same charges could be leveled against him either as co-conspirator, accomplice or accessory after the fact. Even worse, he could be charged with treason under Article 114 of the Revised Penal Code for giving aid or comfort to the enemy.

You may claim that no charges of such kind have been filed against Duterte. Well, don’t look at me. The reason why he is not charged is that the Department of Justice (DOJ) is incompetent and afraid of Duterte. Is that my fault?

His body language indicates that he derives pleasure in killing criminals without the benefit of due process. But did not the ones whom his death squad has killed belong to the poor and the underprivileged? Has his death squad killed any smuggler, corrupt and grafter and criminals who are influential?

Is it true that he is also coddling the Ampatuans who have known to have palaces in Davao City – the same Amputuans who are charged with having murdered 52 media practitioners simply because they committed a mistake of accompanying the representatives of their gubernatorial opponent who were on the way to filing his certificate of candidacy? They say that birds of a feather flock together. What does this make of Duterte? He cannot be an eagle, so he must be Edgar Allan Poe’s raven?

Talking about men of influence of Davao City, Jun Pala was not yet a councilor of Davao City when he organized Alsa Masa, the anti-communist organization that smashed the communists in Agdao, a barangay in Davao City, known as Nicaragdao. Jun became a popular figure in Davao City because of his achievements in Agdao leading to his election as city councilor of Davao. Jun committed the mistake of fighting Duterte, the king of the jungle that is Davao. After escaping two ambushes, Jun finally died on the third ambush. Well, what has Duterte got to say on Jun Pala’s murder?

They say, a picture tells a thousand words. Well this is a candid photo of Duterte – Duterte, anyone?

Binay – the other imponderable
Like Duterte, Binay is also an imponderable factor because you do know which way his mind swings. But something makes him dangerous as an imponderable factor because, if anything happens to President PNOY anytime before elections, the man then becomes President of the Republic

He was with PNoy for five years praising daang matuwid and singing hosannahs to his friendship with President Cory and her family. He courted very intensely Pnoy’s support for his continuing bid for the presidency. But when it was already clear that PNoy was ostensibly supporting Mar Roxas’ presidential bid, Binay’s tune changed. He called the Pnoy administration manhid – insensitive– to the cries of the people. Where was Binay for the past five years? He was on Pnoy’s side praising and admiring him!

Binay charged the administration, not directly PNoy, as the one behind the efforts of the Senate and the Pnoy spinners of airing false charges against him and his family and deglamorizing him to derail his bid for the presidency. Well, Binay is correct that the group of PNoy is behind the moves deglamorizing him but whether the charges are false is another matter.

The VP has also the effrontery of defending political dynasties which are condemned by the Constitution. He was also foolish to defend the INC rally as pursuant to religious freedom and its exercise.

All these prove that Binay is a very traditional politician and nothing good can come out from the coconut of a traditional politician except his own and his family’s interests.

What makes him imponderable and dangerous? Because he is one breathe away from the presidency! If Pnoy forgets to breathe any day now, Binay will succeed him to that office. That makes Binay very dangerous! The charges against him and his family will be wiped out clean. The wheels of vengeance against the whistleblowers and his enemies will begin to roll. Nothing new will happen to this country except for the senior citizens of the country to start and continue eating their cakes and go to the movies for free.

The picture is so reminiscent days before the French Revolution when Marie Antoniette told Frenchmen to eat cake, instead of bread.

In this country, there is hardly any choice among the prospective candidates for president – imponderable or not. So why vote? To begin with, elections are nothing but criminal exercises of the voters, the candidates and the Comelec.

31 Comments

Please elaborate on why you mentioned indecisiveness. First of all, he never declared that he was running for president. If he may run for president, his change of mind is not due to indecision but willingness to heed the people’s plea for him to lead the country. As a leader, one must sacrifice himself if it means serving one’s countrymen.

Yea I have to agree with everyone else, maybe you should do more research on Duterte before you decide to slander his name on the Internet. One thing that’s forsure, Rodrigo Duterte is about change, which is what the country needs.

As far as Binay, I completely agree. Can’t care any less for him,ap and I think people are just blind or just as currupt if they vote for him,

With the current state of this nation wherein local government could not even do something to stop violence and criminal activities of our youngsters in almost all cities and municipalities in the philippines except Davao …..it is only Mayor Duterte who can walk his talk among all presidentiables and probably within a short span of time he can make miracle to make this country livable again….

dear MR.Adaza perhaps what you write in thje MANILA TIMES about Mayor Duterte are only product of your hallucination, But before I tacle some of your issue against the mayor let me remind that you once campaigning for federalism before and even make your own currency for mindanao if Im not mistaken,and you are also a vocal critic against the AQUINO government,but this time it seems that you have change your tune thus this indicate that you have been neutralized by big bundle of cash on how big you open your mouth,again Mr. Adaza your talking about the late JUN Pala the radio commentator who was killed in Davao city,now you had said that Mr,Pala was an anti communist and you mention that he was the organizer of clearing Bgy Agdao known as NICARAGDAO,no sir you have been misinformed becoz I know what really happened during those days were the NPA sparrow unit terrorized the city thats why the people easily become a masa or supporter in short the slum area of davao were afraid, why I tell you this it is because I was a former member of the intelligence unit of REGION XI and who run after the sparrow unit who created havoc in davao city and even captured some top ranking npa leaders during our time , IF you heard the Late EDGA NAGAR the radio commentator who was the first media practitioner killed in davao city because he was the first announcer condenmed the atrocities of the npa ,and comes the late jun pala the alleged founder of the kontra force in agdao area were the radio station was located,and he was the target of the sparrow unit and listed in the npa order of battle until his death,and in your tune it seems you are blaming mayor duterte was behind the death of jun pala,do you have the evidence to support,however i would suggest you to research more how davao city was liberated by bunch of criminals not like in metro manila or even your place you campared sir..

Thank you for the expose. It is paramount in this election to educate the people with facts because the giant medias will contort the truth especially if they are from NCR who are oblivious to the complex situation in Mindanao.

No doubt you have a deep love for our country Atty. Adaza. I admire your eloquence BUT I CAN FORGIVE YOUR VERY LONG NEGATIVE COMMENTS ABOUT DUTERTE FOR ONLY ONE REASON… YOU HAVE NOT LIVEd IN DAVAO… POOR INFORMATION OR FACTS LEAD TO POOR JUDGEMENT :))

I absolutely don’t agree with your opinion sir. Mayor Duterte has proven more of his leadership than the other presidentiables. It is just right to think a million times before deciding an action. Running for presidency is not just like any other joke. And another point is: Mayor Duterte doesn’t look like he is gathering support through his continuous refusal. Before everything else, he has already the hearts of the Filipinos. I suggest that you shoud read articles and gather evidences for your opinions. As for Binay, NO COMMENT. Thank you sir. God bless.

Some people are for Duterte, because they have had enough of the corruption, injustice and poverty, people are already mad and wanted these corrupts dead. They are thinking that a leader like Duterte with killing skills and capability (as Duterte openly admits) would solve these problems. But our country would be in great misery if Duterte will lead us. He is as corrupt as those politicians, so much more, he violates the law by putting it in his own hands I am waiting for Duterte to officially file his candidacy, as there are cases waiting to be filed and raised against him, and so the people would know who really Duterte is.

Mr. Bono says Ex-Pres. Marcos thinks of him as imponderable and he calls Mr. Binay and Mr. Duterte imponderable respectively. He is saying that since the three of them having same quality, Mr. Duterte then will not have the chance of getting elected to the Presidency. He seems to not realized that all Politicians WW is having this kind of variable tendencies including Filipino ones as he summarizes his evaluation of Mr. Duterte and concluded as IMPONDERABLE, like him.

Mr. Bono once promised to the readers of this paper to continue his narrative about Mr, Ninoy Aquino which he initially started but for no reason kept the expectant readers of his column waiting no end. A lot kept waiting to make them decide for Political History of the Philippines to decide who is better between Ferdinand or Benigno.

Sir, while we should respect what you have gone through during the Marcos regime and post revolution, I respectfully opine that your thinking is somewhat nilhist. You are quite correct to point out the uncertainty factor in respect to future political performances (true of all politicians) but in regard to Duterte you seem over zealous to condemn even to the inconsequential fact he uses a private jet to move about the country, however you have nothing to say about his integrity in regard to never in his political life having placed his paws in the honey pot. As you seem to infer Duterte may have been behind Jun Pala’s murder perhaps you should give us the evidence or circumstantial indicators that lead you to publically condemn him without proper trial. Pardon me for pointing this out but isn’t this reminiscent of the Marcos era Sir? There is a fine line between a very strong leader and a dictator but that too is down to opinion. In the current climate the populace is tired of mediocre, dishonest and incompetent politicians and I am sure they will be prepared to risk a leader who is a proven success and honest to boot. Let me repeat what a taxi driver said to me in Davao as an opposite view to the all negative character of your post. ” Sir, he said, if I could meet with Mayor Duterte I would kiss his hand for what he has done for our city and for my family” That, is an opposite view based not upon columnist musings but an opinion of a member of the public who lives and works at ground zero Dutereland. Quite frankly words are cheap, except for the fees they generate for columnist like yourself but the taxi driver actually lives the story as it really ,wouldn’t you agree? There are too many so called do gooder’s who are happy to put the individual before the many and unfortunately their siren voices when listened to has led to rampant crime and injustice for the populace. Isn’t it an overt form of repression when one cannot walk down the street without being in fear of ones life or being robbed, isn’t repression of the many when the poor get poorer because the corrupt politicians hive off the nations wealth and none of us can stop them? If you fear Duterte will be another Marcos, well maybe to stop the endemic rot,we need a more authoritarian leader imagined or true warts and all?

I do agree with you with Binay but not with Duterte. There is nothing wrong consulting your family in making decisions. This is the presidency and one of it’s cons is that you put your family in the limelight as well. I believe you also don’t get the humor Duterte. When Rappler was given a chance to visit the mayor’s home and you would red how frugal his life is. He even donated his big house, a inheritance, to be a hospital. Lastly if is a statesman. I don’t know if it’s true or not that if kills criminal but inflicting fear to the lawless is a good shot. This lawless people are cocky and not afraid because they are aware how boneless are justice system is. Here are some links. I’ve seen his competitors platform and none of then has offered a real solution to the Muslim insurgency and communist struggle.

Atty Adaza, Maybe you are not aware of the current situation. I guess you are in the upper class, and you dont have idea how rampant crime is in the philippines. To tell you, what has been reported on the news are just a very small ratio compared to the numbers of actual crimes of our country, i was also a victim not just once. If the security situation of our country is like Japan, i wouldn’t agree with Duterte’s style of dealing criminals, but there is no other alternatives base on our current government system and that is the best thing Duterte can do and i agree. You may sight other progressive countries of the same government as ours but we are facing different situation. I just hope you and your family will not be a victim of these criminals and cry on your current government with nobody hears you. I worked night shift in Manila before, and all of us have story of crimes on the street. You certainly didn’t experience being stabbed by these criminals at night since you are inside of your airconditioned car everytime you travel.

I would say, the most dangerous person to be elected as President of the Philippines would be Binay. So to all Filipino voters, if you love your country, do not vote for Binay. Pray continuously to save our beloved country from the Binays.